Electric flush toilets on boats

MartynG said:
The Jabsco electric conversion sounds like a hammer drill. The ordinary manual pump we have now is a great improvement.
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The Jabsco electric conversion is indeed the noisiest electric toilet in the known galaxy, it can alert the whole marine you've just been to the bog, not just the people onboard !!

However, the Jabsco toilets that are built as electric are much quieter. Our new to use boat has two "Quiet Flush" Jabscos, which whilst not being as quiet and "posh" as the likes of Vetus,, Tecma, Dometic, Planus etc it's an acceptable budget solution.
 
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MartynG said:
The Jabsco electric conversion sounds like a hammer drill. The ordinary manual pump we have now is a great improvement.
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I also fitted a diaphragm pump to my Jabsco sa the macerator pump is so noisy and the jabsco seals failed and the motor rusts from the inside

The Jabsco need a separate water flush pump
 
I've just installed a nearly-new Jabsco Lite Flush toilet. Not much more noise than the freshwater pump. Took it apart first, changed seals and belt etc. We hope it will be dependable.
 
thalassa said:
I've just installed a nearly-new Jabsco Lite Flush toilet. Not much more noise than the freshwater pump. Took it apart first, changed seals and belt etc. We hope it will be dependable.
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Good luck with that. We had endless trouble with ours, mostly due to the very low flush volume that encourages scale. We put up with it for a few years, endlessly cleaning or changing joker valves, impeller and discharge volute but have now reverted to a manual one
 
rogerthebodger said:
I also fitted a diaphragm pump to my Jabsco sa the macerator pump is so noisy and the jabsco seals failed and the motor rusts from the inside

The Jabsco need a separate water flush pump
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Depends on the model of toilet. The conversion does not need a separate flush pump, neither does the Lite Flush and others too. The quiet flush does if it's sea water flush, but not if it's fresh water flush.
 
PaulRainbow said:
The Jabsco electric conversion is indeed the noisiest electric toilet in the known galaxy, it can alert the whole marine you've just been to the bog, not just the people onboard !!
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That was one very good reason to change the electric for a manual pump.

The chief officer is happy with the manual pump and neither of us has an electric loo on our wish list.
 
I'm not getting commission from Lavac or anything but I'll also add that you don't get the rotten eggs smell with them.
I know they're more expensive than a basic Jabsco but nowhere near as expensive as freshwater flushing 🙂
 
PaulRainbow said:
Depends on the model of toilet. The conversion does not need a separate flush pump, neither does the Lite Flush and others too. The quiet flush does if it's sea water flush, but not if it's fresh water flush.
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Yes Paul it does depend on the model.

My Jabsco was a very old model original with a manual pump

The conversion I had replaced the base with a p\duel pump for both flush and macerator outlet.

I replaced the pump out with a simple diaphragm pump like a diaphragm bilge pump so I had to find a separate pump for the flush water hence 2 pumps

Just a different way of doing the same thing

I had a fresh water pump anyway so did not seem sensible to buy any more kit
 
Another vote for electric bogs. Had the manual ones on my first boat upgraded to Tecma. Second boat had a Jabsco electric from new. Tecma definitely quieter and more comfortable but also more expensive. Fresh water flush in both. Plus holding tanks too of course.

Seem so much better than the manual pump ones.
 
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Sticky Fingers said:
Another vote for electric bogs. Had the manual ones on my first boat upgraded to Tecma. Second boat had a Jabsco electric from new. Tecma definitely quieter and more comfortable but also more expensive. Fresh water flush in both. Plus holding tanks too of course.

See o much better than the manual pump ones.
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Another vote here too. We have had a Saniflo electric toilet for the last ten years. It is quieter than other makes I have heard, has not given any trouble. We run it on seawater, but have a T piece on the skin fitting so can run some bleach into the whole inlet pipe when leaving the boat for a while - stops smells developing.
 
converted the jabsco to electric 4 years ago. Worth it but very noisy as others have said. Darn thing has just failed and a replacement of the conversion pump is now the same price as replacing the whole thing with an electric toilet.go figure.
 
I could cope with a total electrical failure on my boat with regards to navigation, unable to start the engine, etc but not being able to use the heads would be a Mayday. Actually Pan Pan would be more descriptive 🙂
 
I guess a real PITA - I would have thought a blockage in the holding tank if one was fitted would be a real possibility though. Like was simple on a direct pump out whereas holding tanks seem designed to have problems but maybe less so with an electric version.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Anyone got a link for the electric mod for a Baby Blake's. Ive heard tell of it but my googling skills come up blank!
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Blakesandtaylors.co.uk.
Its not an item you can buy off the shelf. You have to send parts of the toilet to them to be modified to take the electric conversion. Around £1800 .
 
How simple is it to replace a jabsco manual with another electric make? Let’s assume one’s skills extend to servicing the jabsco so the bowl is removed and fitting a switch and running wire is fine - are say tecma or saniflo a direct bolt on replacement ? It seems like an investment to be made when replacing the butyl pipes but is it a diy task to make the switch from jabsco and leave its issues behind you?
 
ashtead said:
How simple is it to replace a jabsco manual with another electric make? Let’s assume one’s skills extend to servicing the jabsco so the bowl is removed and fitting a switch and running wire is fine - are say tecma or saniflo a direct bolt on replacement ? It seems like an investment to be made when replacing the butyl pipes but is it a diy task to make the switch from jabsco and leave its issues behind you?
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I don't know of any other make that's a direct bolt on replacement. The Jabsco Lite Flush has the same footprint for the bolts, but that's it.

Not the end of the World to DIY fit something and change the pipes around, especially as you're changing them anyway. Electrically, not a big deal.
 
PaulRainbow said:
I don't know of any other make that's a direct bolt on replacement. The Jabsco Lite Flush has the same footprint for the bolts, but that's it.

Not the end of the World to DIY fit something and change the pipes around, especially as you're changing them anyway. Electrically, not a big deal.
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The Jabsco Lite has, as you say, the same footprint for bolts but not for the whole toilet. In our narrow heads it would not fit, forcing me to add a bed plate in 20 mm ply.
 
ashtead said:
How simple is it to replace a jabsco manual with another electric make? Let’s assume one’s skills extend to servicing the jabsco so the bowl is removed and fitting a switch and running wire is fine - are say tecma or saniflo a direct bolt on replacement ? It seems like an investment to be made when replacing the butyl pipes but is it a diy task to make the switch from jabsco and leave its issues behind you?
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Chop off the pipe that runs from the button of the bowl to the hand pump.

If a piece of pipe to the bowl end of that pipe and connect an electric diaphragm pump to that and to the outgoing pipe to the seacock or holding tank.

The fit an electric pump between the flush water to the pipe under the rim of the bowl.

Wire u both to a switch or button and their you go.

If you don't think you have the skills do what Paul says and replcae with a Jabsco lite
 
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